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Description
The air was cold on Wicke's back as she stared down at the fire. The first week of classes, despite her apprehension, had gone well without any altercations. She'd decided to just try and keep to herself in order to avoid any unneeded drama. She smiled to herself as Salem let out a pleased coo at the heat of the fire before them. Wicke brought her mind back to the task at hand, reaching her hands out as magic came to her, magic glands glowing a deep fiery red as the flames from the larger fire licked sideways through the air, jumping to the smaller fire where the embersnaps hung, ready for roasting.

"So, fire huh?" a voice sounded behind Wicke, and she blinked in confusion. Allowing the magic to fade, she turned to the side to see a gro with a boo coming to sit down next to her. Juko.

Wicke froze for a half second, but looking at them, it didn't look like Juko was... out for anything. In fact, they looked like they felt as awkward as could be sitting on the log, staring straight into the fire.

"Yea, fire." Wicke replied, just as awkwardly. The silence stretched between them, Wicke going back to manipulating the fire and Juko just watching, grinding the dead grass underneath their foot as Salem and the cranberry boo sniffed one another, eventually moving to playing in the background. Wicke felt the tension in her shoulders loosen with their joyful little noises.

"So, how have you been?" Wicke asked, trying to keep her voice as light and casual as possible. She saw Juko look up from the corner of her eye, and they seemed to take a moment before replying.

"Oh, peachy, sure. Mom made me take this class as kinda 'sibling bonding time'" cue the heavy air quotes, "for Atti and I. Not that I have a job or like, anything better to do." Sarcasm dripped from their voice as they rolled their eyes before pausing. "But I guess it hasn't been terrible. Fire magic is kinda cool." Juko shrugged and seemed to relax ever so slightly.

"Well, it's good to hear you're enjoying it. You have a job, you said? What do you do?"

The two of them went back and forth more casually than Wicke could have hoped for for a few minutes before the conversation lulled again, Salem coming up on the log to tuck snugly into the pocket in Wicke's sweatshirt. Wicke gave her a little pat through the fabric, smiling as she switched her magic to what they'd learned last week-increasing body temperature.

"So, uh.." Juko started again, and when Wicke looked over, their posture was hunched and closed up. Wicke blinked, but waited silently for them to continue. "Sorry for that one time. Y'know, when I was a kid, and you came over. That wasn't very... I mean, I acted like a dope." Wicke blinked again, taken by surprise. Of course, she remembered what they were talking about, but... Juko continued.

"I can't think I made things any better, really. So." Wicke shifted, leaning back on the log slightly.

"You don't need to say sorry. None of that was your fault. I... It would have come to something eventually, and really, I mean..." Wicke paused. "I don't think it would have worked out either way. But I don't blame you, certainly not. You were just a kid put in a grown up situation." She said, though the little knot around her heart loosened slightly. She'd regretted that day for a long time for several reasons (and sometimes, those reasons were different and conflicting every time she reflected) but the fact that Juko was here, just... sitting with her, talking with her made things a little better, somehow.

"Besides, it's nice to see you again." Wicke said, giving Juko a soft smile. They stared at her for a moment, like they weren't totally sure, before offering a hesitant smile back.

There was a sharp pop over the small fire as the embersnaps crackled open, done. Wicke startled with a soft squeak, which ruptured the moment as Juko let out a snicker. Wicke stood up and plucked the embersnaps from their sticks, offering one to Juko, who took it with a nod. The two of them shared the little snack in peace before the class eventually put out their fires and went their separate ways. As Wicke walked back to her apartment, she couldn't quite keep the small smile off of her face.

All y'all thought this would be drama huh

Juko belongs to CapeClawless

max

Description
The air was cold on Wicke's back as she stared down at the fire. The first week of classes, despite her apprehension, had gone well without any altercations. She'd decided to just try and keep to herself in order to avoid any unneeded drama. She smiled to herself as Salem let out a pleased coo at the heat of the fire before them. Wicke brought her mind back to the task at hand, reaching her hands out as magic came to her, magic glands glowing a deep fiery red as the flames from the larger fire licked sideways through the air, jumping to the smaller fire where the embersnaps hung, ready for roasting.

"So, fire huh?" a voice sounded behind Wicke, and she blinked in confusion. Allowing the magic to fade, she turned to the side to see a gro with a boo coming to sit down next to her. Juko.

Wicke froze for a half second, but looking at them, it didn't look like Juko was... out for anything. In fact, they looked like they felt as awkward as could be sitting on the log, staring straight into the fire.

"Yea, fire." Wicke replied, just as awkwardly. The silence stretched between them, Wicke going back to manipulating the fire and Juko just watching, grinding the dead grass underneath their foot as Salem and the cranberry boo sniffed one another, eventually moving to playing in the background. Wicke felt the tension in her shoulders loosen with their joyful little noises.

"So, how have you been?" Wicke asked, trying to keep her voice as light and casual as possible. She saw Juko look up from the corner of her eye, and they seemed to take a moment before replying.

"Oh, peachy, sure. Mom made me take this class as kinda 'sibling bonding time'" cue the heavy air quotes, "for Atti and I. Not that I have a job or like, anything better to do." Sarcasm dripped from their voice as they rolled their eyes before pausing. "But I guess it hasn't been terrible. Fire magic is kinda cool." Juko shrugged and seemed to relax ever so slightly.

"Well, it's good to hear you're enjoying it. You have a job, you said? What do you do?"

The two of them went back and forth more casually than Wicke could have hoped for for a few minutes before the conversation lulled again, Salem coming up on the log to tuck snugly into the pocket in Wicke's sweatshirt. Wicke gave her a little pat through the fabric, smiling as she switched her magic to what they'd learned last week-increasing body temperature.

"So, uh.." Juko started again, and when Wicke looked over, their posture was hunched and closed up. Wicke blinked, but waited silently for them to continue. "Sorry for that one time. Y'know, when I was a kid, and you came over. That wasn't very... I mean, I acted like a dope." Wicke blinked again, taken by surprise. Of course, she remembered what they were talking about, but... Juko continued.

"I can't think I made things any better, really. So." Wicke shifted, leaning back on the log slightly.

"You don't need to say sorry. None of that was your fault. I... It would have come to something eventually, and really, I mean..." Wicke paused. "I don't think it would have worked out either way. But I don't blame you, certainly not. You were just a kid put in a grown up situation." She said, though the little knot around her heart loosened slightly. She'd regretted that day for a long time for several reasons (and sometimes, those reasons were different and conflicting every time she reflected) but the fact that Juko was here, just... sitting with her, talking with her made things a little better, somehow.

"Besides, it's nice to see you again." Wicke said, giving Juko a soft smile. They stared at her for a moment, like they weren't totally sure, before offering a hesitant smile back.

There was a sharp pop over the small fire as the embersnaps crackled open, done. Wicke startled with a soft squeak, which ruptured the moment as Juko let out a snicker. Wicke stood up and plucked the embersnaps from their sticks, offering one to Juko, who took it with a nod. The two of them shared the little snack in peace before the class eventually put out their fires and went their separate ways. As Wicke walked back to her apartment, she couldn't quite keep the small smile off of her face.

All y'all thought this would be drama huh

Juko belongs to CapeClawless

max